Good morning... In yesterday's blog post, I shared about The Dawn Of Advent, introducing you to the daily devotional gift of Dr. James Johnson, our Discipleship Director from Northside Church. By mistake, I gave you the wrong link to sign yourself up to receive these morning messages throughout the season of Advent. The link I gave somehow returned [...]
Good morning... As our daughter was in Louisiana with friends Grieving A Suicide, the Henri Nouwen meditation for yesterday brought to life the gift she was experiencing. Our ability to suffer in solidarity, with God and with each other, creates beautiful moments amid life's brokenness. "God loves us so much that he does not simply take our suffering [...]
Good morning... The unusual word "storehouse" came to me twice last week. In our blog post on Saturday, we savored this prayer. Father, make my mind a storehouse for past promises kept, love lavished and hope fulfilled. Earlier in the week we had read "storehouse" in our book, God's Joyful Surprise by Sue Monk Kidd. Now I turn [...]
Good morning... She snipped and sent these powerful words. I have never thought about this enduring truth: The antidote for anxiety is remembering. Teach me to remember, Father, make my mind a storehouse for past promises kept, love lavished and hope fulfilled - so that I can be a prophet to my own present, a watchman on the [...]
Good morning... When I woke for the second time to take out our puppy, I noticed this wisdom gracing my phone. Texted by a friend at 3:19 am, these words resonated deeply. ****** You can grieve the what-would-have-beens and still thank Him for what is. You can miss someone deeply and still trust He's creating beauty from brokenness. [...]
Good morning... As we met for our final Wednesday afternoon class of the fall semester, we discussed a freeing way to pray. ****** Excerpt from page 241 of God's Joyful Surprise by Sue Monk Kidd It is like having a room in the very core of your heart where all of the people you pray for gather with [...]
Good morning... The morning light of winter is living all over our walls. God's presence takes on a new forms as the leaves drop, the darkness lingers, and the cold draws us inside. Those who know me know that I work hard to follow God's lead to the next book for the weekly studies that gather in our [...]
Good morning... With full time work, a new puppy, and our first grandbaby on the way, I wonder, "How can I do it all?" As a daughter to aging parents miles away, friends strewn all over the world, and only twenty-four hours in each day, I ask God, "How can I do it all?" With a middle-of-the-night blogging [...]
Good morning... "Sitting still with God, we un-blend our emotions," said our group leader on Tuesday morning. The word "blend" made me think of the smoothie-making process. I take separate ingredients. Almond milk. Frozen fruit, blueberries, raspberries, strawberries. A scoop of protein powder. A spoonful of plain yogurt. A big handful of spinach. I "blend" it all together [...]
Good morning... On this fresh fall morning, a song flows like a river from me to you. Enjoy the palpable presence of God, trusting that the river knows where it goes. You are like a tree, planted by flowing, cool streams of water that never run dry. Your fruit ripens in its time; your leaves never fade or [...]
